Gary Engberg previews fishing tournament dedicated to someone special

My partner, Tony Puccio, and I have aired our radio show, Outdoor Horizons, for going on 15 years and for years we could always depend on getting a phone call from the late Larry Zins after our Saturday morning show. Larry was a regular listener for years and would call to enter our weekly program give-a-way. We appreciated Larry’s loyalty and over the years Larry even won a few prizes. Tony and I looked forward to a call from Larry offering his name and phone number for the show’s drawing. It was always enjoyable to know that we had a strong supporter in Larry Zins!

For many years, I would see or hear about the latest fishing adventure or trip that Dr. Larry Pakyz, Tom Alt, Bill Alt and Larry Zins would have just returned from. These men spent countless hours on the water fishing and telling stories. These guys loved to fish Lake Wisconsin, Lake DuBay and the waters of Sturgeon Bay. I’d usually hear from Larry Pakyz who would give me the scoop on their latest fishing trip or what was happening on Lake Wisconsin. This foursome really enjoyed participating in an activity that they all loved and I think fishing bonded them together.

Larry Zins passed away last October after some time in an assisted living facility in Spring Green. This year, his friends, spearheaded by Larry and Troy Pakyz and friends organized the Larry Zins Memorial Fishing Tournament which is being held on Lake Wisconsin on Saturday. The base for the tournament will be the Richard A. Grant Park on the lake in Merrimac. The entry fee for the tournament is $25. There are prizes for the two largest walleyes of $150 and $75 plus a $25 prize for the largest sheephead caught. There will be a brat picnic for all participants after the official weigh-in and there also will be an auction with many great donated prizes that everyone can bid on. Even if you don’t fish the tournament, you can come and enjoy the picnic for a nominal fee and listen to Larry Zin’s stories from his many friends and relatives.

The tournament check-in will be between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. with boats due in before 2 p.m. for the weigh-in at the park in Merrimac. Many local businesses and individuals have contributed some great items for the auction. All the money raised from the Larry Zins Memorial Fishing Tournament will go to a wonderful event that I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of since its beginning, the Wilderness Fish and Game’s Take an Adult Fishing Tournament which will be held on July 26 with all participants starting in Sauk Prairie. I think that Larry would be happy to see himself honored by his friends at an event which centers on fishing with family and friends. The Take an Adult Fishing Tournament is an annual event designed to get children and their families fishing and involved in the outdoors.

Contact Wilderness Fish and Game at 608-643-5229 or visit http://www.wildernessfishgame.com for more information. There also is a Facebook page for the Zin’s event at http://www.facebook.com/larryzinsmemorialtournament with all the above information and many photos of Larry and his friends and family. You may also contact Larry Paykz at 608-206-4596 or Troy Paykz at 608-863-3205 for any questions, donations, or information.

This will be a wonderful event to honor and talk about a man who cared about his family, friends and of course fishing with the proceeds going to the future anglers, the children. I hope to see you there at this great event which Larry would be proud and honored that his friends thought so much of him. Larry is probably fishing that ‘Big Lake’ in the sky and smiling down on his many friends. God Bless you, Larry!